Line marker assembly



April 28, 1964 H. c. SWEET LINE MARKER ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 5, 1963 ATTORNEYS April 1964 H. c. SWEET LINE MARKER ASSEMBLY s sheets-sheet 2 Filed Mach 5, 1963 HAROLYD C. .FSWEET AT TORNEYS April 28, 1964 H. c. SWEET LINE MARKER ASSEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 5, 1963 JRLA wM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,136,440 LINE MARKER ASSENELY Harold C. Sweet, 56861 Grand River Ave, New Hudson, Mich. Filed Mar. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 263,051 17 Claims. (Cl. -503) The present invention relates to devices for painting lines on floors, pavements or the like, particularly to a line marker and painting assembly comprising two units which can be used either separately or in combination and more particularly to an improved turning mechanism for such an assembly.

It has been found that by deterring random parking in automobile parking lots by providing clearly marked parking stalls the capacity of the lot can be increased up to approximately 30%. This fact coupled with the stress on safety in commercial and industrial establishments and the attendant increase in the use of painted lines to mark ofi safety zones and the like has greatly increased the demand for a hand operated, easily manuevered, portable line marking machine.

A prior US. Patent No. 2,988,763 issued to me on June 20, 1961, discloses and describes a line marker device which has been satisfactory for the most part in meeting this demand. The aforementioned issued patent discloses a line marker comprising a carriage supported by wheels and carrying a paint reservoir which supplies paint to a roller through a plurality of adjustable nozzles.

Line marking for parking lots and the like consists almost entirely of applying paint in a series of straight lines. It is therefore necessary to turn the device and re-align after making each line and because many of these lines are parallel many turns are a complete 180. When using conventional equipment the operator may have to lift a part of the machine to complete the turn and because such equipment is generally heavy this is a dfiicult task especially if it must be repeated after every one of a series of relatively short lines which would be necessary if for instance the operator is laying out individual parking stalls in a parking lot.

To insure a sharp clear line and one which will remain so a maximum length of time, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the surface before the paint is applied. Heretofore this has been accomplished by either sweeping with a power sweeper or a hand broom or by using some kind of vacuum device. The first of these methods is not satisfactory in that although the surface may be swept clean dust and dirt will remain in the pores and crevices. Further, if manual sweeping is used the time spent in cleaning will be almost as great as that necessary to the actual painting. Vacuum cleaning to be effective requires powerful, bulky and expensive equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to facilitate the use of line marking machines and the like by providing means for pivotally turning the machine in either direction.

It is another object of the present invention to reduce the cost of providing line markings for parking lots and the like by providing a line marking machine having means for cleaning the surface to be painted before paint is applied.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which FIG. 1 is a side perspective view illustrating the painting assembly and the compressor assembly of the present invention operably connected and in painting position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the connected assemblies in a parking position.

FIG. 3 is an elevational top view of the assemblies shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective fragmentary view illustrating the painting assembly of the presnt invention in a painting position.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating the position of the pivoting mechanism prior to making a right turn.

FIG. 6 is a side perspective fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating the position of the pivoting mechanism prior to making a left turn.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating the turning mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view illustrating the manner in which the painting assembly and the compressor assembly are connected and disconnected, and

PEG. 9 is an elevational view substantially as seen from line 99 of FIG. 6.

Now referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of the present invention, FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a preferred painting assembly 10 as comprising a tubular paint reservoir 11 supported by a carriage consisting of a pair of side plates 12 secured on opposite sides of the lower end portion of the paint reservoir 11. A pair of forward wheels 14 are rotatably carried by the side plates 12. The carriage further comprises a fixed frame 16 having a clamping portion 18 encompassing the reservoir 11 at a suitable intermediate position. The frame 16 rotatably carries a pair of rear w eels 19.

A line follower 2t) is pivotally mounted on one of the side plates 12 and comprises a jointed arm 22 and support arm 23 carrying a small wheel 24 at its free end. A support member 25 is pivotally connected at one end to the jointed arm 22 and at the other end to the other side plate 12. When in use, the follower 20 extends to a position forward of the machine. FIG. 2 illustrates the follower 20 in a raised or idle position.

The lower end of the reservoir 10 terminates in a tapered portion 26 to which is fixed a paint distributor 28. A paint roller 30 is rotatably mounted on the forward ends of the side plates 12 in a position below the paint distributor 28. A suitable handle 32 is provided at the upper end of the reservoir 19 to regulate paint flow to the distributor 28.

The structure which has been so far described is substantially as disclosed in my aforementioned US. Pat. No. 2,988,763, issued June 20, 1961. The description which follows relates to the improvements over the line marking machine disclosed in my aforementioned patent.

An elongated rod 34 is axially rotatably carried in a sleeve 36 which is preferably welded or otherwise secured to the clamping portion 18. The rod 34 is provided at its upper end with an outwardly extending handle portion 37 and carries at its lower end as can best be seen in FIG. 7 a laterally extending arm 38. A link member 49 is pivotally secured to the arm 38. A clamp member 42, similar to the construction of the clamping portion 18, is secured about the lower end of the reservoir 11 preferably by bolts 44. A sleeve 46 is welded or otherwise secured to the clamp member 42 to axially rotatably support the lower end of the rod 34.

As also can best be seen in FIG. 7, a downwardly extending mm 48 is welded or otherwise secured to the clamp member 42. A substantially U-shaped member St? is provided with a substantially straight medial portion 52' which is pivotally secured to the arm 48 as at 55. Downwardly extending substantially parallel arm portions 56 extend from each end of the medial portion 52. A castor assembly 54 is swivelingly carried on the free end of each of the arm portions 56. A perforation 58 is provided at one end of the medial portion 52 to pivotally receive the link member 40.

It is apparent that axial rotation of the rod 34 will produce a pivotal movement of the member 50 as illustrated by the dotted line and solid line positions shown in FIG. 7.

As best seen in FIG. 9, a rod 59 extends between the arm portions of the frame 16 in a position below the axis of rotation of the rear wheels 19.

FIGS. 1-3, 8, and 9 illustrate the compressor assembly 60 of the present invention. The compressor assembly 60 preferably comprises a fiat carriage 62 which carries a small engine 64 drivingly connected to an air compressor 66. Conduit 68 leads from the compressor 66 to a nozzle 70 carried by one of the side plates 12 and positioned to eject a stream of air ahead of the roller 30 as can best be seen in FIG. 3. A pair of forward wheels 72 are rotatably mounted on the carriage 62. Feet 74 extend downwardly from the rear portion of the carriage 62 and a handle 76 is provided to lift the carriage 62. As can best be seen in FIG. 1 a pair of angularly upwardly extending arms 78 are secured to the forward portion of the carriage 62. Elongated upwardly extending and spaced slots 84 and 82 are provided in the sides of the carriage 62 with slots 82 being somewhat longer "than the slots 80.

As can best be seen in FIG. 8, the painting assembly and the compressor assembly 60 can be combined to form a unitary line marker machine by tipping the painting assembly 10 on its rear wheels 19 to lift the forward wheels 14 upwardly. The handle 76 is then used to lift the compressor assembly 60 and move it up and over the rod 59 until the rod 59 is engaged in the slots 80. The conduit 68 is then connected to the nozzle 70. With rod 59 engaged in the slots 80 the legs 74 are lifted from contact with the surface and the rear wheels 19 support the rear portion of the carriage 62. The arms 78 are in the position shown in FIG. 1. With the handle portion 36' and the rod 34 in an intermediate position also as shown in FIG. 1, the castor assemblies 54 are lifted from engagement with the surface and the machine is 66 and ejected from the nozzle 70 will clean the surface ahead of the roller 39 so that a sharp clear line of paint will be applied. Because the wheels 14, 19 and 72 are not free to turn the machine will be moved in a straight line. When it is desired to turn the machine to the left, the handle portion 36 is moved downwardly toward the position illustrated in FIG. 6. This movement of the handle portion 36 rotates the rod 34 counterclockwise which in turn acts through the link member 40 to pivot the U-shaped member counterclockwise about the pivotal connection 54 as can best be seen in FIG. 7. The pivotal movement of the member 50 first brings the castor assembly 54 on the left side of the member 59 into engagement with the surface to lift the forward wheels 14 and the roller 30 from contact with the surface. Since in this position the wheels 72 and 18 remain in engagement with the surface and the roller 30 is positioned above the surface, the machine will continue to move in a straight line without applying paint. This position permits the machine to be backed up in a straight line or to be used for painting a series of short lines running in the same direction.

Further movement of the handle portion 36 downwardly into the position 36 brings the medial portion 52 of the member 50 into engagement with the underside of the arms 78. The arms 73 act as cams to lift the wheels 72 of the compressor assembly 64 from engagement with the surface. With the wheels 14 and 72 lifted from the surface, the machine may be readily pivoted on the castor assembly 54 to turn the machine to the left.

Turning to the right is accomplished in a similar manner except the handle portion 36 is moved upwardly toward the position shown in FIG. 5 to pivot the member 59 in a clockwise direction. Again initial movement of the handle portion 36 brings the castor assembly 54, this time the one on the right side of the member 50, into engagement with the surface to lift the wheels 14 and the roller 30 from the surface. Further movement brings the members 50 into engagement with the arms 78 to lift the wheels 72 from the surface. Thus turning in either direction may be accomplished but since only one castor wheel is used, the other one wont have to roll across a freshly painted line.

I/Vith the compressor assembly 60 carried by the rod 59 engaged in the slots 80 arms 78 are spaced slightly from the member 50. Lifting the compressor assembly 6!) and moving it forward to engage the rod 59 in the slots 82 places the machine in a brake and parking position. In this position the arms 78 are positioned beneath the member 59 to lift the roller 30 from the surface. The slots 82 are suficiently long to permit the feet 74 of the carriage 62 to contact the surface and serve as a brake.

It is apparent that the painting assembly 10 can be disconnected from the compressor assembly 60 and be used separately as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 to apply a painted line. Used separately, the turning mechanism will function essentially as described above. The compressor assembly 66 can also be used separately as a means for supplying compressed air to a spray painting gun (not shown), which is useful in many cases where larger areas or stretches of curbing need to be painted.

It is also apparent that although I have described but one embodiment of the present invention, a number of changes and modifications can be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for movement along a surface such as the ground or the like and comprising,

(a) an elongated carriage having forward and rear Wheels normally engaging said surface and supporting said carriage,

(b) an arm pivotally carried by said carriage, said arm being pivoted about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said carriage,

(c) means selectively operable to pivot said arm to a position engaging the surface and lifting said forward wheels from engagement with said surface, and

(d) a wheel swivelingly carried on the free end of said arm whereby said machine may be pivotally turned on said wheel when said forward wheels are in said lifted position.

2. A machine for movement along a surface such as the ground or the like and comprising (a) a carriage having forward and rear wheels normally engaging said surface and supporting said carriage,

(b) a substantially U-shaped member having a medial portion pivotally carried by said carriage and a pair of arms,

(0) means selectively operable to pivot said U-shaped member to a first position in which neither of said arms engages said surface, to a second position where the free end of one of said arms engages said surface, and to a third position where the free end of the other of said arms engages said surface,

(d) said arms being sufliciently long to lift said forward wheels from the surface in either said second or said third pivoted position of said member.

3. The machine as defined in claim 2 and in which a wheel is swivelingly carried on the free end of each of said arms whereby said machine may be pivoted on one of said wheels when said member is in either said second position or said third position.

4. The machine as defined in claim 3 and in which pivoting means comprises,

(a) an enlongated handle member axially pivotally carried by said carriage member, and

(b) a link member operably pivotally connecting said handle member and said U-shaped member whereby as said handle member is axially pivoted, said U- shaped member will also be pivoted.

5. A machine for applying a paint line to a surface such as a concrete or the like comprising (a) a carriage having forward and rear wheels normally engaging said surface and supporting said carrlage,

(b) paint applying means carried by said carriage,

(c) an arm pivotally carried by said carriage intermediate said forward and rear wheels and having a free end extending downwardly,

(d) means carried by said carriage and selectively operable to pivot said arm to a position engaging said free end with said surface to lift said forward wheels fiom engagement with said surface,

(e) a wheel axially pivotally carried on said free end whereby said machine may be pivotally turned on said wheel when said front wheels are in said lifted position.

6. The machine as defined in claim 5 and in which said paint applying means comprises a roller rotatably carried by said carriage ahead of said forward wheels whereby when said forward wheels are in said lifted position, said roller is also lifted.

7. The machine as defined in claim 6 and including (a) a second carriage removably connected with said first mentioned carriage,

(b) said second carriage being provided with wheels disposed intermediate said forward and rear wheels,

(0) air compressing means carried by said second carriage, and

(d) nozzle means carried by said first mentioned carriage in a position ahead of said roller and conduit means removably connecting said nozzle means and said air compressing means whereby an air flow is directed ahead of said roller to clean the surface prior to paint being applied.

8. The machine as defined in claim 6 and including (a) a second carriage removably secured to said first mentioned carriage,

(b) said second carriage having wheels intermediate said forward wheels and said rear wheels of said first mentioned carriage,

(c) means carried by said second carriage and selectively operable to engage said first mentioned carriage to move said front wheels and said roller to a lifted position.

9. The machine as defined in claim 8 and in which said second carriage is provided with a pair of legs operable to engage said surface upon operation of said last mentioned means whereby to retain said machine in a parked position.

10. A machine for applying a paint line to a surface such as concrete or the like comprising (a) a first carriage having a pair of forward and a pair of rear wheels normally engaging said surface and supporting said carriage,

(b) each pair of said wheels being rotatable about a fixed axis and the respective axes of rotation of said pairs of wheels being substantially parallel,

(c) means carried by said first carriage and selectively operable to lift said forward wheels from engagement with the surface being painted whereby said machine may be turned,

(d) a second carriage removably secured to said first carriage and having a pair of forward wheels disposed intermediate said forward and rear wheels of said first carriage,

(e) the rear portion of said second carriage being supported by said rear wheels of said first carriage,

(f) brake means carried by said second carriage and selectively operable to engage the surface being painted to resist rotational movement of said wheels along said surface.

11. The machine as defined in claim 10 and including (a) paint applying means carried by said first carriage and including a roller rotatably carried in a position forward of said forward wheels of said first carriage, and

(b) compressor means carried by said second carriage and including a nozzle disposed in a position forward of said roller and adapted to direct a stream of compressed air across the surface being painted.

12. The machine as defined in claim 10 and in which said lifting means are operable to lift said forward wheels of said second carriage.

13. The machine as defined in claim 12 and in which said lifting means comprises (a) an elongated handle axially rotatably carried by said first carriage,

(b) a laterally extending arm carried on one end of said handle,

(0) a U-shaped member having a substantially straight medial portion pivotally carried by said first carriage and a pair of downwardly extending arm portions connected with said medial portion,

(d) a link member pivotally connected at one end to said arm of said handle and at the other end to said medial portion of said U-shaped member whereby as said handle is axially rotated, said U-shaped member is pivoted about said pivotal connection with said first carriage and said arm portions are alternately pivoted into engagement with said surface to lift said forward wheels.

14. The machine as defined in claim 13 and including a wheel member swivelingly mounted on the free end of each of said arm portions whereby said machine may be pivoted on one of said wheel members when said forward wheels are lifted.

15. The machine as defined in claim 14 and in which said brake means comprises,

(a) a pair of legs extending downwardly from said second carriage, and

(b) means selectively operable to lower said second carriage to a position in which legs engage said surface.

16. The machine as defined in claim 15 and including means carried by said second carriage and operable upon said second carriage being lowered to lift said forward wheels of said first carriage.

17. A machine for movement along a surface such as the ground or the like and comprising (a) a carriage having forward and rear wheels normally engaging said surface and supporting said carriage,

(b) a lift member pivotally carried by said carriage and having a pair of spaced arms extending downwardly therefrom,

(0) means carried by said carriage and selectively operable to pivot said lift member to a first position engaging one of said arms with said surface and to a second position engaging the other of said arms with said surface,

(d) said arms being sufficiently long to lift said forward wheels from the surface in either of said pivoted positions of said lift member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 672,152 Ruher Apr. 16, 1901 

1. A MACHINE FOR MOVEMENT ALONG A SURFACE SUCH AS THE GROUND OR THE LIKE AND COMPRISING, (A) AN ELONGATED CARRIAGE HAVING FORWARD AND REAR WHEELS NORMALLY ENGAGING SAID SURFACE AND SUPPORTING SAID CARRIAGE, (B) AN ARM PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE, SAID ARM BEING PIVOTED ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CARRIAGE, (C) MEANS SELECTIVELY OPERABLE TO PIVOT SAID ARM TO A POSITION ENGAGING THE SURFACE AND LIFTING SAID FORWARD WHEELS FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SURFACE, AND (D) A WHEEL SWIVELINGLY CARRIED ON THE FREE END OF SAID ARM WHEREBY SAID MACHINE MAY BE PIVOTALLY TURNED ON SAID WHEEL WHEN SAID FORWARD WHEELS ARE IN SAID LIFTED POSITION. 